The Prophecy (The Guardians) - By Wendy Owens Page 0,9
he saw the Wintok take notice of him, but it was too late. Though Gabe quietly ducked into the alley, the Wintok was not far behind. Baylor saved Gabe not only that night from the greedy creature, but also introduced him to the sympathizers, Clarite and Kryn.
Kryn, the blacksmith, was probably one of the key figures in keeping Gabe safe as well. He had forged the copper helmet for him that protected Gabe’s thoughts while he slept. It was the helmet that also gave Gabe the idea to search for his current home.
As Gabe remembered the strangers who stepped up to protect him, he thought of the helmet. What had he been thinking leaving the helmet behind? He hadn’t been thinking. Rachel had managed to rile him into such a frenzy that he needed to get out of there as soon as he could. While asleep, the helmet was one of the only ways to block out the demon trackers. Rest would not be an option on this trip. As long as he stayed awake, he should be able to block the demon trackers from entering his thoughts.
Gabe’s thoughts drifted to Rachel. He was still stunned he had caught her rummaging through his belongings. She was a guest in his home, yet she had not shown any respect to his privacy. He was so angry with her, it didn’t matter that Rachel did not know the items she had found belonged to him. He had been the one who yelled at her after the sculpture incident, the one who had caused her to flee his presence. Perhaps all of these instances were just unfortunate coincidences and Rachel meant no harm. None the less, even though these thoughts did occur to Gabe, he was not willing to relinquish his hostility towards the girl.
No, Gabe thought, even if she meant no harm by pilfering my trinkets from Rampart, there is still no excuse for the things she said to me. I am not selfish and I do not expect people to sacrifice everything for me. That is part of why I left Rampart in the first place. I will prove her wrong. There is nothing I can do about Raimie dying, but that was not my fault. The manor was attacked after I left, I can’t be responsible for everyone for the rest of my life. I’ll show her, I know the people of Baynar that helped me are still alive. She’s wrong, she has to be.
Walking down the cobblestone alleyway, taking in the metamorphosis the small town had gone through in such a short amount of time, Gabe felt uneasy. He grabbed a nearby scarf from a clothes line, quickly wrapping it around his head. He had not been in Baynar for many years and had no idea what to expect. Emerging from the narrow path between the buildings, Gabe winced as his stomach twisted. Stepping out onto the main roadway, Gabe kept his eyes low, avoiding direct contact with any one he passed. He quickly noticed the streets were full of Wintoks. Though they had a presence in Baynar when he was there last, it was nothing like this. He was the stranger here, the odd creature walking among them, and he could feel the stares. It wouldn’t be long until someone wanted more information about who he was and why he was there.
A moment later Gabe stopped and looked up. It was the entrance to Baylor’s pub. Unlike the rest of the town, not much had changed about the pub, and he took comfort in the idea of seeing an old friend. Slipping through the familiar door, he was eager to finally prove Rachel wrong.
Climbing up onto the oversized bar stool Gabe smiled, remembering the first time he had sat there and how it made him feel like such a child. Wintoks and most other travelers of the underworld were much larger than humans. An idea that used to make him nervous, but one he had grown accustomed to. He waited, looking forward to seeing the gruff face of his old friend. Much to Gabe’s surprise, a thin and lanky man, bald on top, and a crown of silver hair around his ears approached him, asking what he wanted to drink.
For a moment Gabe said nothing, processing the new face, unsure what to do. “Umm, I’m looking for Baylor, the innkeeper.” Gabe said, trying to keep his voice low.
“Huh, whad’ya say?” The elderly man screeched, leaning, what must have